Washing-machine.



a. 707,867. Paten ted'Aug. 26, 1902.

vc.- F. SCHMIDT.

WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1902.)

(No Model.)

brackets K at the side of the tub A. On the UNrrnD STATES? PATENTOFFICE,

CHARLES F. SCHMIDT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO CHARLES KLEINKNEOHT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,867, dated August26, 1902.

Application filed March 26,1902.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. SCHMIDT, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, (having resided in the United States over one year last pastand having declared my intention of becoming a citizen thereof,)residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention consists of improvements in a washing-machine, as will behereinafter described, the novel features of the same being pointed outin the claims.

It also consists of details of construction, as will be pointed out inthe claims.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a washing-maching embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a partial top or plan view and partialhorizontal section. Fig. 3 represents a partial side elevation andpartial vertical section of portion of the machine. Fig. A represents atop view of the locking device employed for rendering the pounding orbeating device inoperative. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of aportion of the cylinder or drum within the tub of the machine. Fig. 6represents a partial plan view and partial horizontal section of portionof the mechanism on the bottom of the machine. Fig. 7 represents avertical section of a portion of the inner drum or cylinder and thebeater or pounder. Fig. 8 represents a top or plan view of the base ofthe tub, showing a portion of the ball-bearings of the drum or cylinder.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a tub, and B and E designatevertical shafts mounted thereon. To the lower end of the shaft Bissecured the pinion C. To the lower end of the shaft E are secured thespur-wheel D and the sprocket-wheel F.

G designates a sprocketchain which is passed around the sprocket-wheel Fand the sprocket-wheel H, the latter being connected with the shaft J,which is mounted on the upper end of said shaft J is the sprocket-wheelL, around which passes the sprocket-chain M,

Serial N 100,000. (No model.)

the lid of the tub and carries the beveled pinion Q, which meshes withthe beveled pinion R. The horizontal shaft S, which carries said pinionR and constitutes the drivingshaft of the machine, has connected with ita suitable crank or power wheel T. It will be seen that as said shaft Sis driven motion is communicated to the beveled gears R and Q, thesprocket-wheel N, the chain M, the sprocket-wheel L, the shaft J, thesprocketwheel H, the chain G, the sprocket-wheel F, the spur-wheel D,and the pinion 0, whereby motion is imparted to the shaft B. Connectedwith said shaft is the drum or cylinder or auxiliary tub T, whichconstitutes a drainingbasket and rotates with said shaft and has itswall perforated or slitted, so that water may pass freely through thesame and circulate in the tub A and said cylinder, it being evident thatas the cylinder rotates the clothes or articles to be washed placedwithin the same are carried around and forcibly driven against the innerside of the cylinder, and the water is subjected'to great agitation,inwhich condition it is driven into and through the articles to be washedand ejected therefrom.

During the operation I also subject the articles to be Washed to apounding or beating action by means of the rising-and-falling head U,which is connected with the lower end of the sleeve or hollow shaft V,through which the shaft B freely passes, so that the rotary motions ofsaid shaft B and that of the cylinder T are in no wise interfered with.On the exterior of said sleeve is the rack W, with which meshes themutilated wheel X, which is mounted on the shaft X,

the latter carrying the beveled pinion Y,with which meshesthe beveledpinion Z, the latter being connected with the adjacent end of the shaftS. The sleeve V is exteriorly of angular form and is guided in acorrespondinglyshaped opening through the boss A, which is centrallysecured to the top of the tub A, by which provision, while said sleeveis permitted to rise and fall, it is prevented from rotating. It will beseen that as the shaft S communicates its motion to the cylinder '1 torotate the same, as has been stated, it also imparts motion through themedium of the beveled gears Z andYto the mutilated wheel, whereby, owingto the rack W, the sleeve V is raised and with it the head U. When theplain portion of the wheel reaches said rack W, the latter is releasedand so drops, whereby the head Ustrikes the articles to be washed andpounds or beats the same, thus effectually washing said articles. Whenthe washing is accomplished, the shaft S is rotated to raise the sleeveV, and consequently the head U, and when the teeth of said wheel fullyclear the lower tooth of the rack W the sleeve is held by hand inelevated position by means of the piece V on the upper end of saidsleeve and then retained in its elevated position by means of the boltB, which is mounted on the top of the tub A, the same entering anopening 0 in said sleeve. The mutilated wheel now continues its motionwithout engaging upon the rack W, whereby the head U remains at rest,but the rotation of the cylinder T continues. A cock D on the tub A isnow opened, and the water in the tub and cylinder escapes therefrom, andas the cylinder continues its rotation the water in the articles washedis forcibly ejected from the clothes and driven therefrom by centrifugalaction through the openings in the cylinder, this action continuinguntil the garments are practically drained of all water, after which thearticles may be hung out for complete drying, as usual in such cases. Inorder to ease the rotation of the cylinder, the under side of the bottomthereof is formed with a rim E, in which is a circular groove F, thesame receiving the balls G, which are also seated in the circular grooveH on the upper face of the bottom J of the tub A, thus providingball-bearings for the cylinder T, the effect of which is evident. Torender the action of the cylinder T more effectual as the articles to bewashed are forced against the inner wall thereof, said wall is madecorru-- gated, as at K, thus increasing the rubbing action to which thearticles are subjected, the bottom wall K being similarly consti t-uted.In order to admit of access to the interior of the tub and cylinder, aportion L of the lid is hinged to remaining portion, as shown in Fig. 2,so that said portion L may he raised when so required. In order to admitof access to the cylinder below the head U, portions M of said head arehinged to the remaining portion, so that the former may be raised, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When said portions M are in operativeposition, they are lockedto the remaining portions by means of theturnbuckles or other devices U, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Whenthe beater or pounder is in inoperative position, the mutilated wheel Xmay be pre Vented from rotating by loosening the screw Y, which holdsthe pinion You the shaft X, and then running back said pinion from theadjacent pinion Z on the driving-shaft S, thus throwing said wheel X outof gear.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the general spirit of my invention, and I do not,therefore, desire to be limited in'each case to the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a washing-machine, a drum, a tub containing the same, arising-and-falling head in said drum, a shaft connected with said drum,means for rotating said shaft, a sleeve connected with said head, andmeans for raising said sleeve and permitting the same to drop, saidrotary shaft passing freely through said sleeve.

2. In a washing-machine, a drum, a head therein, a sleeve connected withsaid head, and carrying a rack, a mutilated gear-wheel adapted to gearwith said rack, and means for rotating said wheel, whereby said head israised'and permitted to drop, in combination with a shaft which isconnected with said drum, and means for rotating said shaft, the latterpassing freely through said sleeve.

3. In a washing-machine, a tub, a drum in said tub, a shaft connectedwith the drum, gearing for operating said shaft, a rising-and fallinghead, a sleeve connected with said head, said shaft freely entering saidsleeve, means for raising said sleeve and permitting the same to drop,and a lock on the tub adapted to engage with said sleeve.

4. In a "washing-machine, a drum, a shaft connected therewith, a risingand falling head in said drum, a sleeve connected with said head, meansfor raising and lowering said head, a boss on the top of the tub, saidsleeve being exteriorly of angular form, and said boss having an angularopening receiving said sleeve, and a bolt on the top of the tub, thesame being adapted to enter an opening in said sleeve when the latter isin elevated position.

5. In a washing-machine, a tub, a rotary drum therein, a shaft connectedwith said drum, means for rotating said shaft, a risingand-falling headin said drum, a sleeve connected with said head, said sleeve freelyreceiving said shaft, a rack secured to said sleeve, a mutilated wheelengaging said rack, means for rotating said wheel, and a guide on thetop of the stationary tub through which said sleeve is vertically passedwithout capability of rotation.

I CHAS. F. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, O. D. MCVAY.

